Education

Plans to shorten school summer holidays pushed back

Published

2 years ago

June 4, 2024

PLANS to shorten the summer holidays have been shelved due to the pressures on Wales’ schools and significant opposition from trade unions.

Lynne Neagle, Wales’ education secretary, confirmed school year reforms will no longer take place in 2025/26, with the decision deferred until after the next Senedd election.

She said pausing the proposals, which included cutting the summer break to five weeks or possibly four, will give teachers more time and space.

Ms Neagle recognised the pressure on schools implementing a new curriculum and additional learning needs (ALN) system while under financial constraints.

She said: “My starting point is always the best interests of children and young people. This means ensuring reforms are properly planned out and have the time and space to succeed.”

A Welsh Government consultation received more than 16,000 responses and 6,500 people backed a petition against the proposals, which was submitted jointly by education unions.

“Opinion was hugely divided on this,” said Ms Neagle.

“To ensure we get this right, we need to continue listening to and engaging with schools, teachers, unions as well as children, young people and parents.”

Plans for a shorter summer break – which were brought forward under Mark Drakeford, the former first minister – aim to reflect contemporary patterns of family and working life.

In 2023, research on Wales’ school year, which had hardly changed in more than 150 years, suggested long summer breaks disadvantage low-income families and children with ALN.

Nicola Fitzpatrick, interim Wales secretary for the National Education Union (NEU) Cymru, welcomed the Welsh Government listening to unions’ concerns.

She said: “Members will be pleased that the Welsh Government has seen sense and decided not to change the pattern of the school year.”

Ms Fitzpatrick said the NEU consultation response made clear there was no clear rationale for reform and that any changes needed to be evidenced based.

She warned: “It remains a really difficult time in education and the education workforce have seen significant periods of change, including implementing the new curriculum and significant additional learning needs reform.

“We also have a funding crisis, major workload issues, pupil behaviour and attendance issues, and mental health challenges for both staff and students.

“These should be the cabinet secretary’s main priorities and we look forward to discussing these with her as part of her commitment to listening and working in partnership.”

Tom Giffard, the Conservatives’ shadow education secretary, urged the Welsh Government to ditch the contentious proposals altogether.

He said: “Education is in crisis with soaring absenteeism, a shocking decline in standards, the worst Pisa results in the UK and rising incidences of violence plaguing our schools.

“We have long called for the Labour government to scrap this distraction and get on with tackling the problems they have created in education over the past 25 years.

“Kicking this into the long grass is not good enough.

“Labour cannot ignore every teachers’ union, let alone the tourism and business sectors, who are against the plans, the policy needs to be scrapped completely.”

Heledd Fychan pointed out that consulting on reforming the school year was part of Plaid Cymru’s cooperation agreement with the Welsh Government, which ended recently.

She said: “As we emphasised throughout the consultation period, it’s important that the Welsh Government listened to the views of parents, teachers and learners.”

Calling for action to improve school attendance, attainment and safety, the party’s shadow education secretary warned: “It’s clear that there is a crisis in education in Wales.”

Ms Fychan urged the Welsh Government to put plans in place for the forthcoming summer holidays to support children and families from low-income backgrounds.

“Steps must also be taken to ensure no child goes hungry in the school holidays,” she said.

Caerphilly’s Labour MS, Hefin David, said he “understands the differences of opinion” on the matter – but welcomed the proposed changes being axed.

He said: “As a parent of an eight-year-old and six-year-old, I find that the summer holidays are much easier and cheaper to manage than October and especially Christmas.

“In the summer when the weather is better, there are far more ‘free’ activities available such as parks, splash pads, picnics and public gardens. Free summer activities are plentiful but shut down quickly once the season is over.

“In October with the poor evening light and colder weather, the demands are more often for softplay, trampolining and other indoor activities that charge a fee.”

Dr David highlighted how children are more likely to play outside during the summer months, but stay indoors during the winter.

“It’s quite a challenge to manage this. Personally, life would be more difficult with a two week October holiday- it’s already one of the trickiest to navigate”.

Ms Neagle, who will give a statement on the school year in the Senedd at about 4pm today (June 4), pledged to prioritise support during the school holidays.

Jane Dodds, the Lib Dems’ leader in Wales, said: “I am pleased to hear that the Welsh Government has listened to the serious concerns raised over these proposals.

“Changes of such a seismic scale risked adding further pressure onto the shoulders of teachers and schools that are already being weighed down by the long lasting impact of Covid on education.

“Any future reforms must be seriously scrutinised and stress tested so that we know our children are receiving the very best education possible.”

In the weeks since Vaughan Gething became first minister, the Welsh Government has also pushed back controversial farming and council tax reforms until after the May 2026 election.

Education

Teaching assistant struck off after asking pupil for photos of her body

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A FORMER teaching assistant at Haverfordwest High School has been banned from working in education after sending highly inappropriate messages to two female pupils, including asking one girl to send him photos of her body.

Samuel Davies, who was employed at the school through apprentice agency Ap Prentis, was removed from the classroom in October 2022 when safeguarding concerns were raised. An Education Workforce Council (EWC) panel has now found his conduct to be sexually motivated and amounting to unacceptable professional behaviour.

Messages sent under false name

The panel heard that Davies contacted two mid-teen pupils on Snapchat using the name “Sam Bear Davies”. One pupil identified as Learner B received messages asking whether she felt comfortable sending him pictures. In one message he wrote: “I want to see that body and a few pics maybe?” followed by further requests for images.

Another girl identified as Pupil A accepted a friend request from the same account and was shocked to receive the message: “Oh hey, I am your teacher. Do not tell anyone, I would get into trouble, but I think you are really attractive.”

Davies also warned one of the girls not to tell anyone he had contacted her because he would “get into trouble”.

Both pupils later provided screenshots to senior staff which resulted in Davies being escorted off school grounds while an internal investigation began.

Previous concerns about boundary issues

Deputy headteacher and safeguarding lead Tracy Edwards told the hearing she had already spoken to Davies several times about his over familiar behaviour with pupils. Concerns had been raised including allegations that he offered teenagers a drag of a vape off school premises and that he had shown pupils photos of himself vaping in a school toilet. There were also reports that he had been overheard discussing pubs and clubs with under eighteens.

Although some of the earlier claims could not be verified, his behaviour escalated and a formal complaint was made once the social media messages were shared with staff.

Davies resigned from his role in January 2023. Police reviewed the matter but did not take further action.

Panel finds sexual motivation

The EWC committee found a number of allegations proven and concluded that Davies had deliberately targeted children under sixteen and that his actions were sexually motivated.

Panel chair Robert Newsome said Davies had abused his position and caused direct harm to pupils. He noted that Davies had shown no engagement with the disciplinary process, no insight and no remorse.

“This was a pattern that developed after he began his employment,” he said. “He knew what he was doing was wrong and took steps to hide it. His actions place him as a significant risk to learners.”

Davies did not attend the hearing and provided no representation. During the school’s internal investigation he denied all allegations.

Struck off indefinitely

The committee ordered that Davies be removed from the EWC register with immediate effect. He cannot apply for reinstatement for at least five years.

He has 28 days to appeal the decision to the High Court.

Community

Potential Ysgol Clydau potential closure ‘deeply concerning’

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

THE LAUNCH of a public consultation on the potential closure of Pembrokeshire school Ysgol Clydau just before Christmas has been called “deeply concerning” and unfair to local families.

At the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members backed a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which included statutory consultation on proposals to discontinue Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School and Ysgol Clydau in Tegryn.

A plea on behalf of Ysgol Clydau was previously made by Cllr Iwan Ward, local member, who said it was “the heart of our society not just a school, it’s family, a community, an anchor for children who deserve the opportunity to grow”.

He added that closure was “a disaster for the future of education locally” and was “not fair and was not moral”.

The Ysgol Clydau consultation has now been launched, on the eve of a plea to keep the school open being heard at County Hall.

A council statement accompanying the launch of the consultation says: “At its meeting on May 8, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area.

“In particular the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population.”

A petition, opposing closure of the school, on the council’s own website, generated 648 responses, meaning it crossed the threshold to be heard at full council.

That petition call, along with a similar one for Manorbier school, which also crossed the threshold, with 1,511 signatures, is to be heard by councillors at the December 12 meeting of full council.

The Ysgol Clydau petition states: “We demand that Pembrokeshire County Council reconsider its decision to close Ysgol Clydau and instead prioritise the needs of our community by keeping the school open. We oppose the closure of Ysgol Clydau and call for full public scrutiny before any decision is made.

“We urge you to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the community, listen to our concerns, and work with us to find alternative solutions that support the needs of our children and families.”

Paul Davies MS

Local Senedd Member Paul Davies has voiced his opposition to the proposal to close Ysgol Clydau, describing the timing of the consultation—just before Christmas—as “deeply concerning” and unfair to local families.

Mr Davies also highlighted the impact that closing Ysgol Clydau would have on the local community and the Welsh language.

“Ysgol Clydau is a crucial part of the local community, and its closure would have a huge impact on the local area. It’s unacceptable that this consultation has been launched without any discussion with local stakeholders and announcing it just before Christmas is very disappointing.

Education

Paul Davies MS opposes proposed closure of Ysgol Clydau

Published

3 days ago

December 10, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Senedd Member criticises ‘deeply concerning’ timing of consultation

LOCAL Senedd Member Paul Davies has spoken out against Pembrokeshire County Council’s proposal to close Ysgol Clydau, warning that the timing of the public consultation — launched in the weeks before Christmas — is “deeply concerning” and unfair to affected families.

Mr Davies said the school plays a vital role in the community, and that any attempt to close it would have a damaging impact locally, including on efforts to promote and protect the Welsh language.

“Ysgol Clydau is a crucial part of the local community, and its closure would have a huge impact on the local area,” he said. “It’s unacceptable that this consultation has been launched without any discussion with local stakeholders, and announcing it just before Christmas is very disappointing.”

He pointed to the school’s strong record, noting that Estyn inspectors highlighted positive relationships between staff and pupils and praised a curriculum that makes purposeful use of the surrounding area to inspire curiosity.

“Closing this school would be to the detriment of local families, and it would also undermine efforts to protect and promote the Welsh language in the community,” he added.

Mr Davies urged Pembrokeshire County Council to ensure the consultation is meaningful by “genuinely listening to local voices” and working with parents, representatives and the wider school community to find a constructive way forward.